Acco (or Acre) is a city that manages to bring all of my senses to life. Walking through the streets of this ancient city in a modern world, I can taste the delicious treats that fill the stalls of the shuk or smell the aromas of the fresh hummus coming from Sa’eed in the old city. In each direction you can see beautiful tapestries made of the brightest colors, or the bright reds, oranges and greens of the fresh fruits and vegetables, or even fish flopping around as the fisherman deliver their most recent catch. And if the fresh fish doesn’t spark your appetite, the many restaurants lining the streets will!
Acco arouses my curiosity and invokes my desire to explore the underground tunnels where brave archeologists continually uncover layers of our unknown past. As these excavations happen in the streets, the residents of the neighborhood can watch from the windows of their homes above.
This unique city also manages to stir my desire for travel. It’s structure and architecture are reminiscent of European port cities such as Venice and Florence.
Though the food is delicious and the market colorful, what gives this city a truly special feel is the peaceful coexistence of the Arabs and Jews living there.
I can truly picture in my mind’s eye the cosmopolitan ambiance of this city which served as the capital city for Richard the Lion-Hearted during the time of the Crusades. I can visualize the Muslim ladies in their colorful fabrics, and I can hear the metallic sound of the knight’s armor that must have rung through the streets.
Even in modern times, there are things to see. In the port, a seaman shows a group of children monkeys and parrots that he brought from far away Africa. Evening winds from the port fill the air as I rush there to see the fisherman arranging their nets before sailing into the night.
